Hanger bar



July 27, 1965 F. P. BRENNAN HANGER BAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1962 A NU V I INVENTOR. Fr'wzzc/s P Bwerzrzarz July 27, 1965 F. P. BRENNAN 3,197,033

HANGER BAR Filed June 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 272122515 P 32 62171422 United States Patent C) 3,197,033 HANGER BAR Francis P. Brennan, Oak Lawn, llL, assignor to Brennan Engineering Corporation, Downers Grove, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed lune 13, 1962, Ser. No. 262,123 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-123) This invention relates generally to wardrobe hanger bars and more particularly to a hanger bar construction made of sheet material particularly characterized by the formation of crimped gussets formed in the corners of the end formation for strengthening purposes and to prevent the flanges from straightening or turning outward. The main body channel is also characterized by the forming of its center or web section into an arched or convex shaped web. By virtue of the construction thus provided, there is such strength added to the bar that it is possible to use a thirmer gauge metal while obtaining advantageous strength performance.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved wardrobe hanger bar construction.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a channel device made of sheet material wherein added strength characteristics are provided through the formation of crimped gussets in the respective corners between the legs and the web of the channel.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a wardrobe hanger bar embodying the principles of my invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a wardrobe hanger bar according to the present invention in full lines and arranged in the orientation of a shipping wardrobe illustrated in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a plan elevational view of the wardrobe hanger bar illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the bar of FEGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line lVlV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational View of the bar of FIGURES 1-4 but with a part broken away to illustrate additional details of construction;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line VllVll of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View through one of the gussets to illustrate additional details of construction.

As shown on the drawings:

The principles of the present invention are illustrated in connection with a Wardrobe hanger bar shown genrally at it and finding a particularly useful application in connection with shipping wardrobes such as are used by movers. Thus, the upper end of a typical shipping wardrobe is illustrated in dotted lines in FlGURE 1 and includes a paper or cardboard carton having a rear wall 11 and two side walls 12 and 13, respectively.

The wardrobe hanger bar includes a main body channel shown at 14 and two end channels each shown at which are of identical construction and which may therefore be described in detail with respect to only one of such end channels, like reference numerals being applied to similar structural components.

Each respective end channel 15 fits over a corresponding side Wall 12 or 13 of the cardboard carton. Thus,

3,197fi33 Patented July 27, 1965 ICE a plurality of articles to be shipped, for example, clothes suspended on coat hangers may be placed in the cardboard carton and suspended from the main body channel 14 of the wardrobe hanger bar ill. The end channels 15, 15 will operate to distribute the forces to the side walls 12 and 13 of the cardboard carton.

Although the Wardrobe hanger bar It) could be formed as an integral one-piece hanger bar, the illustrative example herein depicted takes the form of a three-piece bar, that is, the end channels l5, 15 are formed as sepa rate parts and are integrated with the main body channel 14 by a connection joint.

in any event, whether made in a one-piece construction or a three-piece construction, as illustrated herein, the main body channel 14 of the wardrobehanger bar 10 is particularly characterized by being formed from sheet material of uniform gauge thickness wherein two spaced apart parallel vertical legs 16 are joined together by a web or top wall 17 arched through a curvature as most clearly shown in FIGURE 4 extending through a dimension 18. The arched configuration of the web or top wall 17 not only affords a greater contact with the curved hooks of coat hangers, but also rigidities and adds strength to the main body channel 14.

Each end channel 15 is a generally rectangular channel including a pair of spaced parallel legs 20 and 21 which depend vertically from a horizontal top leg or web 22.

In order to prevent the legs 20 and El which, in effect, actually form flanges with respect to the web or top wall 22, from turning, the present invention contemplates that crlmped gussets will be formed in the respective corners of the end channels 15, 15, as shown at 23.

Each respective gusset, as is most clearly shown in FIG- URE 8, consists of a bottom wall 24- which is olfset angularly with respect to the top wall 22 and either one of the adjoining vertical legs 2 or 21. Additionally, each gusset 23 has tapered side walls 26 which together converge towards the bottom wall 24 and form a V-shaped recess in the outside corner prescribed by the legs 20, 21, 22.

The depth of the gussets 2?: is such that the respective bottoms 24 of the gussets formed in the corner between the legs 29, 22 and the legs 21, 22 do not overlap but leave a portion as shown at 27 in FIGURE 8 which is unobstructed, thereby contributing to full engagement of the end channel 15 with the support edge.

The provision of the gusset 23 not only prevents the legs 2% and 21 from turning, but adds such additional strength to the end channels that it is possible to use a thinner gauge metal than would ordinarily be required while still obtaining the same strength characteristics.

As shown in FIGURE 6, each end of the top wall or web 17 on the main body channel 14 is formed with a downwardly turned lug 3-9 offset at As shown in FIGURE 7, at each end of each respective leg 16 of the main body channel 14 there is formed an inwardly offset side lug 31.

The leg 2d of the end channel 15 is preformed to provide a portion which is lanced and offset as at 32, thereby forming a recess 33 for receiving the lug 3th in the plane of the leg 2%. The leg 20 is also lanced and offset as at 34, thereby to form a pair of recesses 36, 36 for receiving each respective side lug El, 31.

To facilitate offsetting of the portion 32, the leg 21 is formed with an access aperture 37 (FIGURES l and 6). The leg 21 is formed sutliciently shorter than the leg 20 so that the lugs 31, 31 are readily engaged by a suitable tool.

The leg 2% is further characterized by the formation of a portion which is lanced and offset as at 39, thereby to form a locking lug adjacent the adjoining legs l6, l6

a ii of the main body channel 14. are locked in firm assembly.

The end corners of the respective legs 20 and 21 are rounded as at 40 thereby to afford an added safety factor. Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody Within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim: A Wardrobe hanger bar made of thin sheet material and comprising,

a main body channel and- Accordingly, the parts two end channels at opnosite ends of said main body channel to fit over a corresponding side wall of a cardboard shipping carton,

said main body channel consisting of two spaced apart parallel vertical legs joined together by a top leg,

said top leg being arched through a curvature sufiicient to afford greater contact with the curved hooks, of wire coat hangers placed thereon and :operating to strengthen the main body channel against vertical displacement forces, each said end channel consisting of a pair of spaced parallel vertical legs joined by a horizontal top and a plurality of spaced apart gussets formed in the I 4 and a corresponding adjoining vertical leg and tapered side walls which converge towards said bottom wall,

thereby to form V shaped recesses in the outside corners prescribed by the horizontal and vertical legs, said gussets each having a depth such that the respective bottom walls of the gussets formed in the corners of each end channel do not overlap horizontally but leave an unobstructed portion on said horizontal top leg forming a support surface to promote full engagement of the end channel with the adjoining support edge of the carton, whereby thinner rnetal may be used in said hanger bar without loss of function or operating efficiency.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PAT ENTS 1,099,045 6/14 Heron 29-150 2,357,309 9/44 Brown 206-7 2,788,888 4/57 Fisk V 2067 2,809,002 10/57 Rudolph 248-205 2,867,459 1/59 Brennan 28720 2,904,190 9/59 Gidwitz 211-123 FOREIGN PATENTS 796,532 1/36 France.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

